Battery connector



Jan. 3, 1956 J. c. JORDAN ETAL 2,729,802

BATTERY CONNECTOR Filed May 21, 1954 IN VEN TORS JOHN JOQDA/V, 44 2 0 LE L/Eu/vE,

United States Patent BATTERY CONNECTOR John C. Jordan and Lloyd M. Le Jeune, Monroe, La. Application May 21,1954, Serial N 0. 431,563

Claim. (Cl. 339-256) This invention relates to battery connectors.

An object of the invention is to provide a battery connector for connecting a lead cable to a battery terminal, which connector includes a fuse to guard the circuit against overloads and which, at the same time, is adjustable to maintain the circuit during an emergency period when the fuse may have blown out.

Another object of the invention is to provide a battery connector of the character referred to above which is quickly and easily attachable to a battery terminal and lead cable and in which the included fuse may be readily replaced.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description considered in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the connector of the present invention in the normal position.

Figure 2 is a view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the connector of the present invention in the emergency position.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, the reference numeral 10 designates a base of insulating material.

A first conductive clip 11 is positioned adjacent one end of the base 10 and is carried thereby. The clip 11 consists of a strip of conductive material having its mid portion disposed horizontally and its end portions bent upwardly and offset toward each other, intermediate their ends, to bring the upper sub portions into proximate spaced parallel relation to form blade-receiving contacts. Each end of the strip constituting the clip 11 is provided with a notch 12, the notches 12 being in alignment. The mid portion of the clip 11 is fixedly secured upon the upper surface of the base 10.

A battery post clamp, generally designated 14, is positioned beyond said one end of the base 10 and is electrically connected to the first clip 11, the clamp 14 being adapted to engage a battery terminal post. The clamp 14 consists of a fixed leg 15, a movable leg 16, having one end pivotally connected about a pin 17 formed in the complemental end of the leg 15, and a bolt 18 rotatably supported in the other end of the leg 16 and threadably engaging the complemental end of the leg 15. The legs and 16 are bowed, intermediate their ends, providing a space 19 therebetween conformably shaped to receive a battery terminal post. The head of the bolt 18 is flush against the outwardly facing surface of the leg 16 and a split washer 21, seated in an annular groove formed in the unthreaded portion of the shank of the bolt 18, is flush against the inwardly facing surface of the leg 16 so that the bolt 18 is held against transverse movement in either direction with respect to the leg 16. The shank end of the bolt 18 is threadably engaged in a recess 20 extending inwardly from the facing surface of the leg 15. The threading of the bolt 18 into the recess 20 is effective to bring the arms 15 and 16 toward each other and into clamping engagement with a battery terminal post inserted therebetween. The threading of "ice the bolt 18 out of the recess 20 is effective to move the legs 15 and 16 away from each other to release their engagement with an interposed battery terminal post.

The clamp 14 is electrically connected to the first clip 11 by a short length of cable 22 which has one end fused into the leg 15 of the clamp 14 and the other end fused into the mid portion of the clip 11.

A second conductive clip 23 is spaced from the other end of the base 10 and is carried by the base 10. The clip 23 is of the same construction as the clip 11 and has its mid portion fixedly secured upon the upper surface of the base 10.

A conductive terminal post 24 is positioned intermediate the clip 23 and the other end of the base 10 and is carried by the base 10, the post 24 being electrically connected to the clip 23. The post 24 is connected to the clip 23 by a length of cable 25 which has one end fused into the mid portion of the clip 23 and the other end fused into a collar 26 surrounding the base of the post 24.

Spaced from the other end of the base 10 and carried by the base 10, is a third conductive clip 27. The clip 27 is of the same construction as the clips 23 and 11 and is spaced from and out of electrical contact with the clip 23. The clip 27, like the clips 23 and 11, is fixedly secured to the upper surface'of the base 10 by suitable attaching means as, for example, a screw 28 extending upwardly through the base 10 and threadably engaging the mid portion of the clip, as shown in broken line with respect to clip 23.

Extending between and electrically connecting the clip 11 and the clip 23 is a fuse 30. The fuse 30 is a cartridge fuse of the knife blade type, each end of the fuse being provided with a projecting blade 31 which is frictionally received between the contacts of the adjacent clip to make electrical contact therewith. Each blade 31 is provided with a cross piece 32 which seats in the notches 12 of the complemental clip when the blade 31 is inserted therein to prevent the blade from sliding downwardly out of contact with the contacts of the clip.

A flexible conductor 29 extends between the clamp 14 and the clip 27. The conductor 29 has one end fixedly connected to the clamp 14, by fusion or other suitable means, and has the other end provided with means for connecting said other end to the clip 23 when the fuse 30 has been removed, said means being normally con nected to the clip 27. The means on the other end of the conductor 29 consists of a knife blade 33 similar to the blades 31 provided on the ends of the fuse 30 and formed with a cross piece 34 similar to the cross pieces 32 of the blades 31.

For normal conditions of use, the connector of the present invention is hooked up as shown in Figure l with a fuse 30 connecting the clips 11 and 23 and with the blade 33 upon the free end of the conductor 29 engaged in the clip 27. The clamp 14 is opened by the unscrewing of the bolt 18 and is placed about a battery terminal, the bolt 18 then being tightened to bring the legs 15 and 16 into embracing engagement about the terminal. A lead cable, running to the equipment to be served by the battery, is now connected to the post 24 and the circuit is completed and in operative condition. Should a short circuit or other reason for overload occur in the circuit, the fuse 30 will blow out breaking the circuit. In the customary circuits of this kind, the blowing out of the fuse will put the equipment out of operation until a new fuse can be obtained and inserted in its place. The connector of the present invention affords an emergency means for closing the circuit to continue the operation of the equipment until another fuse can be obtained. To make the emergency adjustment, the blown out fuse 30 is removed from the clips 11 and 23.

The free end of the conductor 29 is then transferred from the clip 27 to the clip 23, as shown in Figure 3 and thus serves to complete the circuit in lieu of a fuse until a new fuse can be obtained. It is obvious that the adjustment can be readily made and requires only the use of parts which are connected to the conductor at all times and are therefore sure to be available when needed. It is also obvious that when a new fuse is obtained, the shifting of the connector back to its normal condition is quickly and easily accomplished.

What is claimed is:

In a battery connector, a first conductive clip having blade contacts arranged in upstanding spaced relation, a second conductive clip also having blade contacts arranged in upstanding spaced relation positioned in longitudinal spaced relation with respect to said first clip with the space between its blade contacts in alignment with the space between the blade contacts of said first clip, there being registering cross slots in each of said blade contacts extending inwardly from the upper ends thereof, each of said blade contacts being adapted to receive in the space therebetween a blade type terminal projecting from an end of a fuse and to frictionally engage such terminal when received in said space with the registering cross slots receiving the cross piece carried by said blade type terminal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 790,883 Buchanan May 30, 1905 2,255,470 Matthews Sept. 9, 1941 2,458,511 Harlow Jan. 11, 1949 2,526,201 Daly Oct. 17, 1950 

